Planoorapii co



T. E. McNULTY.

BALLOT 50x. v APPLICATION FILED MAR- 14 9]8- RENEWED FEB- I919- 1 3 1 3,1 O 1 Y Patented Aug. 12, 1919.

I 2 SHEETS-SHEET I. 111 1.

*Mhtm I I %W I am,

T COLUMBIA PLANouRAPII co., WASHINGTON n C T. E. McNULTY.

BALLOT BOX. I APPLICATION men mm. 14. ms. RENEWED FEB. 10. m9.

1 3 1 3, 1 O 1 Patented Aug. 12, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

// -/-/1I 2 l| Y l' llllll' 5 1% 'rnomns EDWARD MONUL'IY, or SANrnANoIsoo, CALIFORNIA.

B LLOT-pox,

Specification of Letters fatent.

Patented Aug. 12, 1919.

Application filed March 14, 1918, Serial No. 222,365. Renewed February10, 1919. Serial No. 276,178.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS E. MCNULTY, a citizen of the United States,residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State ofCalifornia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inBallot-Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a ballot box designed to comply with allelection laws, and to afford perfect safety for the ballots, and also topermit ready and cheap repair in case the same should be accidentallybroken.

The invention consists of the novel features of construction hereinafterdescribed, pointed out in the claims and shown in the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the box.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section, partly broken out.

Fig. 3 is a part section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an inverted perspective view of a closure plate.

In constructing the box I employ a base 1 and a top frame'2, these partsbeing of suitable metal. For convenience of manufacture, assembling, andrepair I prefer to form these parts in octagonal form.

The top and bottom member are connected by metal vertical posts or ribs3. As shown in Fig. 3 these ribs are vertically grooved on theiradjacent faces as at 4, the grooves opening at the top of the ribs. Intothese grooves are fitted heavy glass plate panels 5. The height of thebox can be varied, but in any case the panels stop 'short of the top. On

the upper edges of the panels is placed an octagonal ring 6, having anouter depending flange 7 and an inward upwardly extending flange 8.

On said ring and inclosing the flange 8 1s a glass top 9, both top orcover, and the ring being suitably cut out to span the ribs 3. The cover9 has a rectangular mouth 10 adapted to receive a ballot. This isnormally closed by a cover plate 11, fiangedto fit over the cover month.

Within the top frame 2 is fitted a hinged lid 12 having an opening 13registering with and corresponding in size with the cover mouth 10.Adjacent the opening the lid is undercut to engage and partially inclosethe plate 11. The lid is provided with three locks, each to be operatedby a separate key.

Should a glass panel 5 become broken the lid can be raised, the cover 9and ring 6 lifted out, and then the broken panel removed and a new onedroppedinto place.

In use the keys are assigned to three officials in charge of thepolling. The lid is unlocked, the plate 11 removed and the box examined.The lid is then relocked, and one of said officials is given charge ofthe plate 11 during the castin of the ballots. When the polls close thet ree ofiicers unlock the lid, the plate 11 is replaced and the boxagain locked. The keys are then turned over to the Ollicer delegated bylaw to receive and hold them. 7

The flanged ring 6 forms a sealed joint between the cover 9 and thepanels 5 and prevents the inserting of anything between the panelsforming the body of the box and the cover 9 forming the top of theballot receptacle. The ring also prevents the glass cover from cominginto contact with the glass panels, thereby reducing danger of breakagein handling and shipping.

The advantages of this construction will be obvious from the drawingsand description.

What I claim is:

1. A ballot box having a metal frame, transparent panels fitting in saidframe and stopping'short of the top of the frame, a transparent coverarranged within the frame andfitting on said panels, a lid hinged to theframe top and covering the transparent cover, said lid and cover havingalining openings, and a plurality of locking devices carried by the lid.7

2. A ballot box comprising a metal frame, glass panels removably carriedby the frame, a flanged ring resting on the upper edge of the panels, aglass cover resting on said ring and having a central opening, a lidhinged to the top of the frame, and having an opening registering withthat of the cover, and for said opening, a lid hinged to the frame aplurality of locking means carried by the top and having an openingadapted to regis- 10 ter with that of the cover, said lid When 3. Aballot box comprising a frame havclosed bearing on said closure plate,and 5 ing vertically grooved ribs, panels inserted means for locking thelid.

in said ribs and stopping short of the top of In testimony whereof Iafiix my signature.

the frame, a cover fitting on said panels and V p L Y having a centralopening, a closure plate THOMAS EDWARD MGNULTY.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, w instq D,

